Comestible dispensing package

ABSTRACT

A package for product pieces includes a housing having a plurality of walls forming an interior adapter to hold a plurality of product pieces. The housing has a dispensing opening in communication with the interior. A resilient member is disposed in the housing interior and is adapted to urge the product pieces toward the dispensing opening. The housing has an aperture formed in one of the plurality of walls disposed adjacent the dispensing opening to permit the product piece to be engaged and moved out of the interior through the dispensing opening.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 60/942,628 filed on Jun. 7, 2007 the disclosure of which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a dispensing package for storing anddispensing comestible items such as pieces of gum having a slab-likeconfiguration. It is within the contemplation of the present inventionthat other comestible items could be dispensed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Chewing gum is currently available to consumers in a variety ofdifferent formats. These include stick gum, slab gum, pellet gum,extruded gum, and others. A variety of types of gum packaging alsoexist, including certain types of packaging used predominantly for oneor the other of the gum formats. Slabs of gum have often been sold infoil packages. Originally, these slabs were arranged in a package in aside-to-side manner, perhaps including five to seven slabs per package.More recently, these slabs have been arranged within the foil packagesin a face-to-face manner, allowing 15-20 slabs to be contained in aconvenient package. Slabs are also offered in packages where the slabslay side-by-side, and a cover moves between a closed and open positionto permit dispensing. Such packaging typically has broad front and backsurfaces on which product information can be placed.

Packaging typically includes covers which are moved to an open positionto permit access to the product. However, the opening up of the coverexposes all the product pieces. Therefore, the product pieces aresusceptible to falling out of the package every time one piece isremoved. While this issue had been addressed by adhesively retaining thepieces in the package, the adhesive must be light enough to permit thepieces to be removed and, over time, handling of the package can causethe other pieces to separate.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide packaging for productpieces which permits one piece to be removed while securely retainingthe other pieces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a package for product pieces.

The present invention further provides a package for dispensingindividual comestible pieces.

The present invention still further provides a package for comestibleproducts including a housing having a resilient member acting on a stackof comestible pieces and an opening for dispensing the pieces.

The present invention also provides a package for product piecesincluding a housing having a plurality of walls forming an interioradapter to hold a plurality of product pieces. The housing has adispensing opening in communication with the interior. A resilientmember is disposed in the housing interior and is adapted to urge theproduct pieces toward the dispensing opening. The housing having anaperture formed in one of the plurality of walls disposed adjacent thedispensing opening to permit the product piece to be engaged and movedout of the interior through the dispensing opening.

The present invention still further provides a package assemblyincluding a plurality of product pieces and a housing having a pluralityof walls forming an interior. The plurality of product pieces isdisposed within the interior. The housing has a dispensing opening incommunication with the interior. A resilient member is disposed in thehousing interior and is adapted to urge the product pieces toward thedispensing opening. The plurality of housing walls include a first wallhaving an aperture disposed therein adjacent the dispensing opening topermit one of the product pieces to be engaged and moved out of theinterior through the dispensing opening.

The present invention provides a method of dispensing a plurality ofcomestible product pieces including obtaining a housing forming aninterior adapter to hold a plurality of product pieces. The housing hasa dispensing opening in communication with the interior. A resilientmember is disposed in the housing interior and is adapted to urge theproduct pieces toward the dispensing opening. The housing has anaperture disposed adjacent the dispensing opening to permit the productpiece to be engaged and moved out of the interior through the dispensingopening. The method further includes engaging one of the product piecesthrough the aperture, moving the product piece through the dispensingopening, and removing the product piece from the package housing.

The present invention also provides a method of forming a package fordispensing product pieces including forming a blank and folding theblank to form a housing. The method also includes inserting a pluralityof product pieces into the housing and inserting a resilient member intothe housing and securing the resilient member in the housing wherein theresilient member urges the plurality of product pieces toward adispensing position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a dispensing package of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the package of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the package of FIG. 1 with a portionremoved for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of an alternative embodiment of a packageof the present invention with a portion removed for illustrativepurposes.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a blank of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of thedispensing package of the present invention with a portion removed forillustrative purposes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a package 5for containing and dispensing a comestible product 28. In particular,the present invention may be used for containing and dispensingconfectionery products such as gum pieces, hard candy, or othercomestibles. While the particular embodiments shown herein are employedto contain gum pieces, it may be appreciated that the package maycontain any type of product. Such product may also include otherconfectionery products such as gum in various sizes and shapes, such assticks, slabs, pillows, pellets and the like, as well as otherconfectionery products, such as hard candy, chocolate, and the like. Theproduct may include multiple pieces or be a single unitary piece. Also,non-confectionery products may be contained and dispensed in accordancewith embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention includes a packageassembly 10 having a package housing 12. The package housing 12 ispreferably formed of a paperboard material. However, it is within thecontemplation of the present invention that the package housing 12 maybe formed of a plastic or metallic material. The package housing 12includes a top wall 14, bottom wall 16, a front wall 18, back wall 20,and a first and second side walls, 22 and 24 respectively. Top wall 14extends between and is connected to the front 18 and back wall 20. Withreference to FIG. 3, the various walls form a package housing interior26 in which a stack of product pieces 28 are disposed one on top of theother in a face-to-face arrangement.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the package housing 12 may furtherinclude a dispensing opening 30 which is in communication with thehousing interior 26. Dispensing opening 30 may be formed between topwall 14 and first side wall 22. Preferably the dispensing opening 30 maybe disposed directly below the top wall 14 and is therefore locatedadjacent the top end of the package housing 12. Dispensing opening 30permits the comestible to exit the package housing 12. Top wall 14includes an access aperture 32 which permits a user to engage theproduct piece 28, such as with their finger, and push it out of thepackage through the dispensing opening 30 as will be described in moredetail below. Access aperture 32 may have an elongated shape extendingin the direction of product piece movement as indicated by an arrow inFIG. 3.

The package assembly 10 may be covered by a plastic over-wrap (notshown) of a type known in the art, which is removable by a user prior todispensing the comestibles.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 5, the package assembly 10 furtherincludes a resilient device 34 disposed within the housing interior 26.The resilient device 34 acts against the stack of product pieces 28 andurges them toward the dispensing opening 30. The product piece adjacentthe dispensing opening is in the dispensing position. In this position,a product piece 28 is accessible through the access aperture 32 anddisposed adjacent the dispensing opening 30, thereby permittingdispensing. The resilient device 34 may include a piece of compressiblyresilient foam, such as open cell polyurethane, or any other resilientmaterial. A cover 36 may be positioned over the end of the resilientdevice adjacent the comestible. Cover 36 may be formed of paperboard orany other smooth material which permits the comestible to slidethere-over. The cover 36 may have a generally U-shaped cross-sectionhaving a portion which covers the top of the foam and portions thatextend partially down the sidewalls of the foam. The foam may becompressed when the comestibles are loaded into the package housing 12.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the resilientdevice 34′ may include a generally flat platform 38 and one or morebiasing devices 40, such as compression coil springs, engaging thebottom surface of the platform 38. The biasing devices 40 may beoperably coupled to the platform 38. It may be appreciated that anysuitable biasing device may be employed. The platform may be formed ofplastic or paperboard or other material which will permit the comestibleto slide there-over.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, in order to dispense the product pieces28, a user may hold the package housing 12 and place a finger throughthe access aperture 32 and onto the product piece 28 lyingthere-beneath. Then the user may urge the product piece 28 out of thedispensing opening 30, pushing it therethrough. The product piece 28exits the dispensing opening and the user may then grab the exposedportion of the product piece 28 to fully remove it from the packagehousing 12 (FIG. 4). The biasing nature of the resilient device 34, 34′causes the stack of product pieces to be moved upwardly to fill the voidleft by the dispensed product piece. The next product piece is thenready to be dispensed.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the packagehousing 12 is formed of one piece of material such as paperboard orother foldable material. With reference to FIG. 7, a blank 50 includesvarious panels which may be formed by die cutting, punching or by anyother manner known in the art. The various panels may be folded andglued to form the package housing 12. Blank 50 may include a back panel52 which forms back wall 20. Extending laterally from one side of backpanel 52 is a first side panel 54 which forms first side wall 22.Extending laterally from the other side of back panel 52 is a secondside panel 56 which forms second side wall 24. A front wall panel 58extending from first side wall panel 54 forms the front wall 18 of thepackage housing 12. Back panel 52 further includes a top panel 60extending from an upper end and a bottom panel 62 extending from a lowerend. The top panel 60 includes a first portion 64 which forms the topwall 14 of the packaging and a second portion 66 which is folded ontothe front wall panel 58 and adhered thereto. The first portion 64 mayhave formed therein the access aperture 32. The bottom panel 62 includesa first portion 68 which forms the bottom wall 16 and a second portion70 which is folded over and adhered to the front wall panel 58. The toppanel second portion 66 and bottom panel second portion 70 may be foldedover the outside surface of front wall panel 58 as shown in FIG. 1.Alternatively, panels 66 and 70 may be folded and secured to the insideof the front wall panel 58 such that the panels 66 and 70 are notvisible from the outside of the package housing 12.

The various panels may be folded along fold lines 71 to form the packagehousing 12. The first and second side wall panels 54 and 56, back panel52 and front panel 58 each include securement tabs 72 which are foldedand secured, preferably by adhesive, to opposed surface of the packagehousing 12 to maintain the panels in the folded positions to form thepackage housing. Therefore, the package housing 12 is formed from oneunitary piece of material.

In an alternative embodiment, the bottom panel 62 may be eliminated, andthe bottom of the package housing may be a separate piece 74 which issecured to the package housing, such as by an adhesive, as shown in FIG.5. While FIG. 5 shows the embodiment of the resilient device using thefoam material, it is within the contemplation of the present inventionthat other types of resilient devices could be used.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the product pieces 28 may be loaded in thepackage housing interior 26 through a loading opening 73 disposed in thehousing bottom. The resilient device 34 or 34′ may then be placed in thehousing interior 26. The bottom may then be secured to the packagehousing. In the embodiment where the bottom is a separate piece 74 asshown in FIG. 5, the bottom 74 can be placed in and secured to thesurrounding housing walls. In the embodiment wherein the bottom isformed by the bottom panel 62 as shown in FIG. 6, the bottom panel 62may be folded into place and secured, thereby retaining the productpieces and the compressed resilient device in the package housing. Whenthe package is assembled, the product pieces 28 are urged toward thedispensing position. It is also within the contemplation of the presentinvention that the product pieces 28 could be loaded in through the topof the package housing 12 and then the top wall could be secured therebyretaining the product pieces 28 in the package housing 12.

With reference to FIG. 8, a further alternative embodiment of thepackage is shown. In this embodiment, the product pieces 28 may bestacked side edge to side edge. Package housing 100 may include firstand second opposed walls 102 and 104 which are joined on their sides bythird and fourth walls 106 and 108 and fifth and sixth walls 110 and112. These walls form a housing interior 114. Walls 102 and 104 may bebroad panels larger in area than the walls connecting them together. Adispensing opening 116 is formed at one end of the package housing inthird wall 106 and is defined by sixth wall 112 and the first and secondwalls 102 and 104. Access aperture 118 is formed on first wall 102adjacent the dispensing opening 116. A resilient device 120 may bedisposed within the package housing 100 to urge the product pieces 28toward the dispensing opening 116. The resilient device may include acompressible foam material or spring or other resilient element. A cover122 may be positioned between the resilient device and product pieces 28to permit the pieces to slide thereover. As in the previously describedembodiments, in order to dispense the product pieces 28 a user mayengage the product piece through the access aperture 118 and slide itout through the dispensing opening 116. When the product piece isremoved, another piece is moved into the dispensing position below theaccess aperture 118 and adjacent the dispensing opening 116 and is readyto be dispensed.

Having described the preferred embodiments herein, it should now beappreciated that variations may be made thereto without departing fromthe contemplated scope of the invention. Accordingly, the preferredembodiments described herein are deemed illustrative rather thanlimiting, the true scope of the invention being set forth in the claimsappended hereto.

1. A package for dispensing product pieces comprising: a housing havinga plurality of walls forming an interior adapter to hold a plurality ofproduct pieces, the housing having a dispensing opening in communicationwith the interior; a resilient member disposed in the housing interiorand adapted to urge the product pieces toward the dispensing opening;and the housing having an aperture disposed adjacent the dispensingopening to permit the product pieces to be engaged and moved out of theinterior through the dispensing opening.
 2. The package as defined inclaim 1, wherein the aperture has an elongate configuration.
 3. Thepackage as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of housing wallsincludes a front wall and a back wall connected by opposed side walls,and the dispensing opening is disposed in one of the side walls.
 4. Thepackage as defined in claim 3, wherein the plurality of housing wallsincludes a top wall, and said top wall defines a portion of thedispensing opening.
 5. The package as defined in claim 4, wherein theaperture is disposed in the top wall.
 6. The package as defined in claim1, wherein the plurality of housing walls includes a top wall includingthe aperture and an opposed bottom wall and the resilient member engagesthe bottom wall.
 7. The package as defined in claim 1, wherein theresilient member includes one or more coil springs.
 8. The package asdefined in claim 1, wherein the resilient member includes a compressiblefoam member.
 9. The package as defined in claim 1, further including acover disposed over the resilient member.
 10. The package as defined inclaim 6, wherein the bottom wall is integrally formed with one of theside walls.
 11. The package as defined in claim 6, wherein the bottomwall is formed separately from the side walls.
 12. The package asdefined in claim 1, wherein the package housing is formed from oneunitary piece of material.
 13. The package as defined in claim 1,wherein the aperture includes an elongate slot extending in a directionof product movement upon being dispensed from the package housing.
 14. Apackage assembly comprising: a plurality of product pieces; a housinghaving a plurality of walls forming an interior, the plurality ofproduct pieces being disposed within the interior, the housing having adispensing opening in communication with the interior; a resilientmember disposed in the housing interior and adapted to urge the productpieces toward the dispensing opening; and the plurality of housing wallsincluding a first wall having an aperture disposed therein adjacent thedispensing opening to permit one of the product pieces to be engaged andmoved out of the interior through the dispensing opening.
 15. Thepackage as defined in claim 14, wherein the product pieces are stackedface-to-face.
 16. The package as defined in claim 14, wherein theproduct pieces are stacked side edge-to-side edge.
 17. The package asdefined in claim 14, wherein the dispensing opening is bounded on allsides by the plurality of wall members forming the package housing. 18.The package as defined in claim 14, wherein the aperture extends overthe face of the product piece.
 19. The package as defined in claim 14,wherein the housing first wall having the aperture extends between atleast two other walls of the plurality of walls.
 20. The package asdefined in claim 14, wherein the housing is formed of a singleintegrally formed piece of material.
 21. The package as defined in claim20, wherein the material is a paperboard material.
 22. The package asdefined in claim 14, wherein the first wall extends over the pluralityof product pieces and the resilient member.
 23. The package as definedin claim 14, wherein the first wall extends between a third and fourthwall of the plurality of walls, and the third and fourth walls extendover the plurality of product and the resilient member.
 24. A method ofdispensing a plurality of comestible product pieces comprising:obtaining a housing including an interior adapted to hold a plurality ofproduct pieces, the housing having a dispensing opening in communicationwith the interior; a resilient member disposed in the housing interiorand adapted to urge the product pieces toward the dispensing opening;and the housing having an aperture disposed adjacent the dispensingopening to permit the product piece to be engaged and moved out of theinterior through the dispensing opening; engaging one of the productpieces through the aperture; moving the product piece through thedispensing opening; and removing the product piece from the packagehousing.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the housing includes afront wall and a back wall connected by opposed side walls, and thedispensing opening is disposed in one of the side walls.
 26. The methodof claim 24, wherein the aperture includes an elongate slot extending ina direction of product movement upon being dispensed from the packagehousing.
 27. The method of claim 24, further including loading theproduct pieces into the housing through a loading opening, and insertingthe resilient member into the loading opening and closing the loadingopening.
 28. The method of claim 27, wherein closing the loading openingincludes securing a wall to the housing.
 29. A method of forming apackage for dispensing product pieces comprising: forming a blank;folding a blank to form a housing; inserting a plurality of productpieces in the housing; inserting a resilient member in the housing andsecuring the resilient member in the housing wherein the resilientmember urges the plurality of product pieces toward a dispensingposition.
 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the housing has a loadingopening and the plurality of product pieces and resilient member areinserted into the housing through the loading opening.
 31. The method ofclaim 30, wherein the housing includes a flap and the loading opening isclosed upon moving the flap and securing it to a portion of the housing.32. The method of claim 30, further including obtaining a bottom wallwhich is separate from the blank and covering the loading opening withthe bottom wall.
 33. The method of claim 29, wherein the product piecesare stacked face-to-face.
 34. The method of claim 29, wherein theproduct pieces are stacked side edge-to-side edge.
 35. The method ofclaim 29, wherein the housing includes a dispensing opening incommunication with a housing interior, the housing further including anaperture disposed adjacent the dispensing opening to permit the productpiece to be engaged and moved out of the interior through the dispensingopening